The present invention relates to a TAB tape singulation/isolation apparatus and method. The purpose is to cut a strip or reel form of tape-automated-bonding (TAB) tape into individual sites ready for further processing. The invention also includes provision for lead buss isolation at the same time.
TAB tape is usually made in strip form with a plurality of individual tape sites adjacent to one another in a row. However, it is frequently desirable to individually handle a sub assembly of a single die bonded to a tape site. This requires that the strip of tape be cut into individual tape sites.
Also present on the tape during most tape manufacturing processes is a plating buss that shorts all the interconnected leads of the tape site together. Prior to electrically testing of the site, this plating buss must be severed in order to isolate the leads within a tape site. The present apparatus and method allows the plating buss to be removed, that is isolated, at the same time that the site is singulated.
The present invention is directed to a universal and adjustable apparatus and method which satisfies a large range of site-singulation and buss-isolation requirements. The invention is useful on many different TAB tape configurations due to the adjustability of the components. The invention is usable for simple tape site singulation as well as singulate/isolate.